Monday, June 11, 2007

I'd previously jotted down some notes last year as to how to get the best out of a Festival trip. But as we've just started sorting out what we're seeing this year (2007) (edit: we have now posted our picks for 2008), it seemed like a good opportunity to be lazy and repost the same thing again revisit it.

Tip 1Edinburgh is a long way away. Just ask any Glaswegian, it's practically foreign at the best of times (salt & sauce - that's just wrong), and during the Festival it's even weirder. However it's actually only 50 minutes by very regular trains, that even tend to run slightly later for our convenience during August. So if you don't feel like paying £200 per night for an Edinburgh box room, staying in Glasgow wouldn't be the end of the world. One thing to watch with the trains is that they don't always stop at the stations in between, so you might need to go all the way to Glasgow, then back out again.Tip 2Take a carrier bag/rucksack/black bin liner. No matter how determined you are not to end up with flyers advertising trapeze artiste nuns reciting Dickens (TM View From The Stalls - it's our idea), it's easier just to give in and accept anything someone tries to give you. The alternative is a 5 minute conversation explaining how you would really love to see their show if you had time/money/full frontal lobotomy (delete as appropriate), and the possibility of seeing a grown person cry.

The leaflets do also have a purpose. The best one we got last year was a fancy fan shaped one - which was actually damn good as a fan. Even if you're not lucky enough to get one that good, A5 thick paper waved in front of your face can be quite refreshing. Very few venues have air conditioning.

Tip 3Following on from above the weather has to get a mention. You will need (in no particular order) waterproof shoes, sandals, sunglasses, jacket, umbrella, sun cream. You get the idea. The weather can be unpredictable, so dust off your Scout/Guide motto - 'Be Prepared'. Venues can be some distance apart, and sitting through something in soaking wet clothes is never fun. However, depending on the show, there might be no objections to removing those clothes (hey - if it's a selling point for some shows, why shouldn't the audience get in on the act).

Actually forget the umbrella. You'll either be wading through so many people you'll end up removing someone's eye, or it'll be too windy. There's always a local pub to take shelter in.

Tip 4Planning your day might be useful. Venues can be spread quite a distance apart, and finding out you've got a 30 minute walk to get to the show that starts in 5 minutes time can be a little unnerving. And you just know that it will be the one show you really wanted to see, and paid a small fortune for tickets. It's at times like this that a good deodorant will be appreciated by the people who are sitting next to you.

Venues are also packing performances in, so overuns are quite common. You can't rely on things starting, or more importantly finishing, on time.

Tip 5Don't panic if you're at a loose end. Remember those leaflets we talked about up there? You could actually read them and pick something out at the last minute. You might even get the tickets cheaper or even free. Remember though - it might be a hidden gem, but if it's too cheap it's usually for a reason.

Silly title aside it does actually sound quite interesting, and if life outside the Fringe (yes there is one!) didn't get in the way for its run (13-18 August, 22:10 at Theatre Workshop (Venue 20)) I'd consider going to see it now.

However I wouldn't be doing so if I hadn't seen the extra info - possibly so blinded by the completely absurd title (sorry guys ). It just goes to show that the attention grabbing titles might catch your eye - but for some people they can also act as a turn off for what you're trying to get us to see.